Greek-Style Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas (Printable)

Hearty Mediterranean-style black-eyed peas cooked slowly with tomatoes and aromatic herbs for a comforting, satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked over

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 carrots, diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

→ Herbs and Spices

10 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Chopped fresh parsley
16 - Crumbled feta cheese, optional
17 - Lemon wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Place black-eyed peas, chopped onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced red bell pepper into the slow cooker.
02 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, vegetable broth, olive oil, oregano, paprika, cumin, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
03 - Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 7 hours until black-eyed peas are tender and flavors have developed fully.
04 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt and pepper according to preference.
05 - Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley, crumbled feta cheese if desired, and fresh lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It practically makes itself while you're doing other things, and your house smells incredible the whole time.
  • The flavors deepen and meld together in a way that tastes like you've been cooking for hours, but you've barely lifted a finger.
  • It's naturally plant-based, filling, and feels like comfort food that also happens to be good for you.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the peas; not only does it remove dust and debris, but it also helps them cook more evenly and prevents that strange cloudy broth some people complain about.
  • The last 30 minutes of cooking matters more than you'd think; if you want a thicker stew, uncover it then and let some liquid evaporate, which actually concentrates all the flavors even more.
03 -
  • Use good extra virgin olive oil and taste it before adding; if it tastes fresh and peppery, that's the oil that will make this dish sing.
  • The paprika matters more than you think, so look for smoked paprika specifically, which adds a complexity that regular paprika just doesn't match.
Return